… tax the amount in excess of the 90th percentile of premiums. The cap would help to pay for proposed enhancements for health savings accounts (HSAs) for both individuals and employees. The plan also creates a refundable tax credit to help individuals …
Category: US News
Single Payer Now Possible in California
David Lazarus: Could California have its own single-payer health insurance system providing coverage for all residents? A bill has been introduced in the state Legislature that would do just that — and its chances of success could be vastly improved by President Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress. Thanks, guys! First, a little history lesson.
Dayton to Spend 1 More Day at Mayo After Prostate Surgery
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton will spend one more day at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester after undergoing surgery for prostate cancer. Spokesman Linden Zakula says Saturday that the governor’s surgery was a success and the surgeon found no sign the cancer had spread beyond the prostate.
New budget chief tackles Rubik’s cube of spending
The dyspeptic Henry Adams was not nice but not wrong when he described what now is named the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, adjacent to the White House, as an “architectural infant asylum.” The granite pile, which once housed the State, War and Navy departments, was, Harry Truman said, “the greatest monstrosity in America.”
U of C economist: How Republicans and Democrats can both keep their promises on health care
… he asked for a plan that would ” expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time, provide better health care .” We have a four-step market-based proposal that is consistent with many of the president’s remarks on health care and, …
Rand Paul calls GOP repeal plan ‘Obamacare Lite’
… mission of repealing Obamacare. That’s because many of the GOP replacement measures are too similar to the landmark health reform law. “What we think is being hidden from conservatives is there’s a lot of ‘Obamacare Lite’ in their bill,” Paul said …
Cruel to be kind on Medicaid expansion?
House Republicans plan to pay for their healthcare plan by restricting tax breaks on employer health plans. “Some people just don’t care enough about their own care”, he argued, saying Republicans can provide people access to affordable insurance plans, “but whether they take it or not is like trying to legislate responsibility”.
Trump’s call to boost military spending could spark arms race
Because Trump wants to fund this $54 billion price tag exclusively through cutting other government programs, entire departments would have to be removed. Predictably, confusion has set in regarding the actual increase the Trump administration is looking for and what this means for the industry.
With ‘Trumpcare’ On Horizon, Voters Go Wobbly On Repeal
As candidate Donald Trump hammered the Affordable Care Act last year as “a fraud,” “a total disaster” and “very bad health insurance,” more Americans than not seemed to agree with him. Now that President Trump and fellow Republicans show signs of keeping their promise to dump the law, many appear to be having second thoughts.
More than 40,000 pounds of Ohio-produced veal recalled for possible E. coli
Frozen boneless veal in the recall can be identified from package numbers at left, and in the accompanying story. This is an important time to know where your veal comes from, even when dining out.
GOP Hopes to Enlist Trump in Entitlement Reforms
Republicans in Congress are hopeful that despite his campaign promises to the contrary, President Trump will at some point embrace reforms to major entitlement programs long sought by GOP lawmakers to rein in federal spending and debt. Trump campaigned on preserving Medicare and Social Security, putting him at odds with most of his GOP primary opponents and the majority of the party.
Entitlement Reform – Medicare
Medicare, like Medicaid, has long been a reform target of congressional Republicans who seek to bend the cost curve for the program that provides coverage for more than 50 million seniors at a cost of more than $500 billion per year. Last year, Speaker Paul Ryan unveiled his proposal to convert Medicare to what is known as a “premium support” program in which the federal government would provide a payment on behalf of each Medicare recipient toward the purchase of a health insurance plan either a private plan, a similar Medicare Advantage plan or traditional Medicare.
Trump talks big, but making it happen is another thing
Like most presidential presentations, Donald Trump’s initial venture into the soaring chamber of the House of Representatives looked and sounded good, producing some positive reactions that could expand the embattled president’s short-term support. Trump’s hour-long address made solving massive national problems sound possible, from creating a more vibrant economy to revamping and expanding health care, if only both parties follow his lead.
Overnight Healthcare: Rand Paul creates storm over access to ObamaCare draft bill
… a 13-12 vote Thursday. If confirmed as the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator within the Health and Human Services Department, Verma will play a large role in reforming the programs, as well as GOP efforts on repealing and …
Trump’s ‘America first’ really means ‘Americans last’
… happen to be Republicans, believe it or not. It’s difficult to argue that reducing Americans’ access to food, health care, housing and other necessities is putting their needs “first.” Carving billions out of these programs to offset …
Trump’s nominee to run Medicare and Medicaid advances
President Donald Trump ‘s nominee to run Medicare and Medicaid won committee approval Thursday, clearing her for a final floor vote in the Senate. Verma would head the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, an agency that oversees health insurance programs covering more than 130 million Americans.
Woman who credits Obamacare with saving her life hears Trump speech to Congress
Maleta Christian of Myrtle Creek, left, joined Sen. Ron Wyden, right, as his guest at President Donald Trump’s address to Congress Tuesday. Christian says Obamacare saved her life, and she’s worried about the new president’s health care plan.
At some point, is Obamacare Lite better than Obamacare Heavy?
… Sens. Bill Cassidy and Susan Collins ( who would keep Obamacare largely intact ) and Sen. Rand Paul’s deduction and health savings account-based plan . So, if anything is going to pass, there are going to have to be compromises. And at some point …
House GOP eyes three-week plan on Obamacare
House Republicans on Thursday said leaders want to smooth over party divisions and pass their Obamacare repeal plan within three weeks, as the GOP scrambles to keep its health care promises before the Easter break. GOP leaders are trying to repeal and replace as much of the Affordable Care Act as they can under a fast-track budget process that allows them to avoid a Democratic filibuster in the Senate.
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In a speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, President Donald Trump outlined five principles to guide lawmakers when repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. “Tonight I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower cost, and at the same time provide better health care,” the president said.
Healthcare Workers Proclaim ‘Sanctuary Union’, Push for Medicare for All in California
… help them to organize others. One of our longstanding goals is to ensure that patients have the same access to mental health services as they do to traditional medical care. We represent more than 3,000 California behavioral health clinicians that …
Associated Press
Allowing insurers to market health care policies across state lines is one of President Donald Trump’s main ideas for bringing down costs. While supporters of the idea cast it as a way to make insurance policies more competitive, critics say it’s unlikely to result in more affordable plans and could undermine stronger consumer protections in states such as California and Hawaii.
Trump, GOP lawmakers talk replacing Obamacare
… president Wednesday to chart a path forward on the law, hoping to seize on the momentum of Trump’s big night This as Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price started meeting with wary house conservatives to assuage concerns. But many of those …
The Latest: Malaysia says no evidence against N. Korean man
… granted to foreign fishermen says the bill is in danger of dying. One of President Trump’s core ideas for reducing health insurance costs is allowing insurers to sell their policies in any state. One of President Trump’s core ideas for reducing …
Bipartisan group pushes opioid help amid Obamacare debate
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers is fighting to keep attention focused on last session’s top health issue – abuse of prescription opioids, heroin and other drugs – although the 2010 health care law now dominates the health policy discourse.
Learn about the Affordable Care Act
The two leading conservative groups in the House both announced their opposition to House leadership health care plans based on a leaked draft and reports that the bill would cost more than expected while covering fewer people than the Affordable Care Act . In other words, the real world.
GOPa s Obamacare replacement plans provide less financial help, analyses show
… being considered. House Speaker Paul Ryan’s “A Better Way,” the House of Representatives’ discussion draft bill and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price’s “Empowering Patients First Act” all provide tax credits to help consumers purchase …
Trump’s likely envoy to Canada: Political donor, philanthropist from coal family
A big-money political donor and philanthropist with personal ties to the coal industry and professional connections to the White House and the U.S. Senate is expected to be named Donald Trump’s ambassador to Canada. Expectations within government, as well as recent media speculation, point to the Trump administration submitting Kelly Knight Craft’s name for the approval of the Senate.
Nielsen: Nearly 48 million watch Trump’s address to nation
President Donald Trump’s first major address to the Congress and the nation was seen by an estimated 47.4 million people. The Nielsen company said Wednesday that Trump’s audience couldn’t quite match the first such speech by predecessor Barack Obama, who drew an audience of 52.4 million in 2009.
Rubio Predicts Immigration Reform Won’t Be Easy, But It Will Be Successful
… to replace it with a system that for the vast majority of Americans means they’re going to be able to access private health insurance that’s more affordable and covers the things they want in a vibrant private marketplace,” he said. When asked …
Democrats in speech rebuttal say Trump will ‘rip’ away care
In this Dec. 1, 2015 file photo, then-Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear speaks in Louisville, Ky. Beshear took a populist tenor in Democrats’ formal response to President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, accusing him of planning to “rip affordable health insurance” from Americans and being “Wall Street’s champion.”
Democrats in speech rebuttal say Trump will ‘rip’ away care…
… formal response to President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress, accusing him of planning to “rip affordable health insurance” from Americans and being “Wall Street’s champion.” Seated at a diner in Lexington, Kentucky, Beshear assailed Trump for …
Rep. Guthrie Calls President Trump’s Agenda ‘Bold’
… “Tonight, President Trump set a bold agenda for fulfilling the promises he made throughout his campaign. As our health care system crumbles, our economy seeks to recover, and our world becomes more dangerous by the day, I am confident that President …
Sanders vows to ‘continue to fight’ after Trump’s Congress speech
Sen. Bernie Sanders ripped President Trump’s first speech before Congress in a point-by-point takedown that culminated in a call for continued resistance against the new administration. “Those of you who attended rallies or town hall meetings: Keep showing up, keep calling Congress, and continue to fight,” the Vermont senator said in a live stream uploaded to Facebook minutes after Trump concluded his Tuesday night speech.
Trump speech highlights divide on Obamacare replacement
President Trump highlighted a growing divide among congressional Republicans over how to repeal and replace Obamacare when he backed health insurance tax credits Tuesday night. Republican leaders said Trump’s call to replace the healthcare law partially with tax credits allowing people to buy a wider range of health plans proves that they’re making progress on repeal and replace, even though conservatives are starting to publicly oppose such credits since they would be a new federal entitlement.
Bernie Sanders rails against Trump after speech
… on working with Republicans in Congress who want to repeal the Affordable Care Act, throw 20 million Americans off of health insurance, privatize Medicare, make massive cuts in Medicaid, raise the cost of prescription drugs to seniors, eliminate …
Stem cell treatment changed the life of one guest at Trump’s speech
… congressional speech Tuesday night. She credits an experimental stem cell treatment with giving her new hope for her health and her future – a newfound hope that also caught attention of Republican Rep. Pete Olson. Olson, who represents Texas’ 22nd …
Trump Presses Priorities as Congress Seeks Clarity, Details
… fundamental change to how the government addresses the major issues facing the country. Details on matters such as health-care policy, taxes and the federal budget have been elusive so far, and his prime-time speech could determine whether voters …
In Paul Ryan Interview, Lauer Denies Reality of ObamaCare ‘Collapsing’
During a live interview with House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday’s NBC Today , co-host Matt Lauer refused to accept the fact that ObamaCare was in a state of collapse. After Ryan listed the numerous problems with the health care law, Lauer responded with liberal talking points: “I just want to say that a lot of people disagree with that terminology that ObamaCare is collapsing under its own weight.”
In Paul Ryan Interview, Lauer Denies Reality of ObamaCare ‘Collapsing’
During a live interview with House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday’s NBC Today , co-host Matt Lauer refused to accept the fact that ObamaCare was in a state of collapse. After Ryan listed the numerous problems with the health care law, Lauer responded with liberal talking points: “I just want to say that a lot of people disagree with that terminology that ObamaCare is collapsing under its own weight.”